If any model defined the ’90s scene, it was Kirsten Owen. The statuesque English blonde was a favorite of seminal ’90s designers like Helmut Lang, Ann Demulemeester, Jil Sander, and Miuccia Prada. With her austere look and carefree demeanor, Owen exemplified the mood of the era and provided a refreshing change of pace from the glamazons who preceded her. For the insiders and photographers who adored her, Owen represented a uncompromising new kind of beauty, one that mirrored the cultural shift from decadent excess to the pared down look of grunge and minimalism.

Over time Owen’s work and her look have become iconic. The current generation looks to those groundbreaking Vogue Italia covers for inspiration, her Versace campaigns and work with Paolo Roversi have served to influence countless stories, and even the current taste for severe, challenging models can be traced back to Owen and her ilk. It’s fitting, then, that at 45 this most memorable of models is enjoying a well deserved career renaissance. New work for Vogue Italia, Love, and Self Service showcase a woman in top form, and reunions with frequent collaborators like Steven Meisel have gleaned a whole new series of unforgettable campaign imagery. Is it any wonder then that Owen is the latest addition to MDC’s Industry Icons List and the subject of this MDX Icons special?

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28 Comments to “Kirsten Owen”

how can you have sigrid agree or magdalena frackowiak and not include julia stegner on an icons list? the girl has been working with top people from day one and has proven her longevity unlike many on that industry icons list.

if she gets booked its usually something special and big thats what i call selective. everybody knows her name and theres a model every two or three seasons being compared to her. i wouldn’t put her among the old industry icons but seeing the new list i think it is unfair to exclude her

There are quite a few models who absolutely do not deserve to be on the icon list: Constance J, Sigrid, Daria Strokous, Magdalena F,Meghan Collison, Suvi Koponen and Toni Garrn. None of them have had the type of presence or impact as true legends like Alek, Eva, Stella Tennant, Mariacarla… its almost insulting to have them be listed along such extraordinary ladies.

I am also APPALLED at seeing Cara listed in the New Supers list. How in the hell does this girl qualify to be placed next to greats like Natalia and Liya??? She is having a phase and it will eventually blow over, she is not a supermodel.

so happy!!!!she is everything!she started in the 80s works till this day! remember her and young linda evangelista shot by lindbergh? one of my favorite models! a true survivor as well. she never allowed her private life to mix with her carrier! glad vermont days are over for her. also glad that she constantly is present! no botox no nothing this woman knows how to age gracefully! love u <3

I agree with inclusion of Miss Owen and others also Abbey Lee, Frankie R, Tao Okamoto, Alek Wek and Coco Rocha, but Toni Garn, Magdalena F, Lilly D, Candice, Sigrid, Kassia Struss, Jourdan Dunn?! This is absurdity, nonsense and one insult for the biggests names. They are important and have one great carrer, but are too young and nothing is justificiable for included her names in one list appropriate for the names that exist in industrie a long time.
For me this site was better in select girls/woman for the VIP lists.

And the top 50? What ranking don’t have positions?
Like some names and inovations, but the industrie icons list and new supers are mistaken.

Ok, she is very beautiful and looks healthy, but her career is short for this nomination. Others models deserve for this list, no she. Raquel Zimmermann maybe. I think that this one error. And I wait that have correction.

And since when Sigrid Agren and others young models are industry icons? They are amazing, but don’t have force for to included in one list like that.

how can you have sigrid argen, toni garn and suvi in the same list as helena christensen, shalom harlow, Karen Elson (in both super and icons list), etc, etc??? I dont mind having them in the list, but surely them promote the others to supers or legends??

I am rather happy, especially with Cindy, Kirsten and Alek finally getting some recognition. If I can ask for just one more thing… please squeeze Tatjana Patitz somewhere, she is one from the original “Big Five” and still does work. The work is a bit random but still.

I do not know if a high critical current list of the models that have become part of the Icons of Industry, but the fact is that you need a list of fixes and tweaks, because it seems somewhat misplaced.
This is because, Toni Garn, Magdalena F, Jourdan Dunn, Constance J, Candice S, Daria, Suvi K and Megan Collison may even have a brilliant career to date and are incredibly beautiful, but certainly not yet made ​​icons for numerous reasons. Especially because in terms of numbers of campaigns, length of experience and longstanding importance, all other models were already part of the list are in wide advantage.
Icons are models that the industry can not do without. Maybe the site has not been remarkably intelligent and wise choices in new except some.

Alek Wek, Coco Rocha, Tao Okamoto, Frankie Rayder, Kristen Owen, Crystall R and Catherine history and have sufficient support for entering this select group. Yes they are icons.
Helena Christersen, for example, it took a long time to get on the list even got countless jobs and a long career, so as to put young models on the list of “Icons” gets to be unfair to other models. Within 5 or 6 years probably these girls become icons, but definitely not this time.
It’s like a trivialization of the selection of who is or is not icon. Amateurs wait a long time to see either model get that done, and suddenly a wave with very young models is placed in the list, honestly it gets to be disappointing. At least I was disappointed.

I can imagine even models that don’t have recently experienced a large volume of work as Eugenia Volodina; Eugenia Silva; Bridget Hall, but names that have a weight and so indisputable as incomparable beauty.

Definitely the new list seems somewhat misplaced. Like Kate Upton put between the new supers. It is inconceivable.